1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to an ophthalmological apparatus for treating eye tissue with laser pulses and to an ophthalmological patient interface device. Specifically, the present invention relates to an ophthalmological apparatus comprising a laser source for generating the laser pulses, an optical projection system for projecting the laser pulses, and a coupling part for attaching mechanically to the optical projection system an ophthalmological patient interface device which is in contact with the eye during treatment, and to an ophthalmological patient interface device comprising a coupling part configured to attach mechanically the ophthalmological patient interface device to the optical projection system of the ophthalmological apparatus, and a contact part, arranged to be in contact with eye tissue during application of the ophthalmological patient interface device.
2. Related Art
EP 1731120 describes an ophthalmological apparatus comprising a base station with a light source for generating laser pulses, and an application head which can be mounted on an eye having a light projector for the focused projection of the laser pulses for punctiform breakdown of eye tissue. The application head is attached to an articulated support which is connected moveably to the base station. The ophthalmological apparatus further comprises an optical transmission system for transmitting the laser pulses from the base station through the support arm to the light projector. EP 1731120 further discloses a transparent contact body with fastening means for fixing the contact body to the eye of a patient. The contact body can be mounted removably to the light projector of the ophthalmological apparatus, e.g. by means of a screw lock or a snap lock, and can be disposed or sterilized after use on a patient. The contact body makes it possible to place the cornea in a defined position with respect to the light projector so that a flap of the cornea may be cut equidistantly to the exterior surface of the cornea, for example. On the other hand, the mechanical deformation of the cornea caused by placing the contact body on the cornea may produce undesirable side effects such as corneal folds that disturb the focus behind the posterior surface of the cornea.
US 2010/0274228 describes a functional element that can be coupled to the eye by means of a suction ring. The functional element can be formed in the fashion of a container which can receive a liquid that is located during operation between the cornea of the eye and a lens. The functional element of US 2010/0274228 represents a liquid eye interface which does not cause mechanical deformations of the cornea that produce corneal folds. On the other hand, the liquid interface of US 2010/0274228 does not place the cornea in a sufficiently defined position with respect to a projection lens so that accurate corneal cuts can only be made by using complex imaging feedback systems and real-time position control during operation, while some corneal cuts cannot be performed with sufficient accuracy at all.